The invention relates to power management systems and methods of operating power management systems.
Typical power transfer systems connect one or more circuit branches to either a primary power source, such as utility power, or a secondary power source, such as a portable or standby generator. Each circuit branch can connect to one or more loads, and typically includes one or more manually controlled circuit breakers that are controllable by an operator.
For typical power transfer systems located at a residence, the systems connect a plurality of circuits to a generator acting as the secondary power source. Residential generators vary in size and power output. In general, as the amount of rated power (or current) increases, the size, weight, and cost of the generator increases, and the amount of noise produced by the engine, which powers the generator, increases. Therefore, it is beneficial to use a power management system for controlling or reducing the power demand on a generator, thereby allowing a smaller generator to be used for applications that typically require a larger generator.
Typical power management systems include a plurality of switches (e.g., relays or controllable breakers) for controlling (e.g., adding or shedding) a plurality of loads. However, typical power management systems control circuit branches, which can power an unspecified number of loads. A new system is desired that allows for more flexibility than the typical power management system.